Fresh Salmon Quiche and Creme Fraiche

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely recipe to have on hand for a luncheon or light supper. Those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest have easy access to salmon and I try to make this quiche several times during the course of the summer salmon run. It's very easy to prepare, and, when it's made with quality ingredients, it really is delicious. That is not to say shortcuts can't be taken, or substitutions made. While the recipe is a classic, the salmon doesn't much care if it is resting on a bed of homemade or store bought pastry. Conversely, it is possible to use homemade creme fraiche as a substitute for its expensive commercial counterpart. I've included a recipe for the homemade variety in this post. I have a friend who swears that two parts heavy cream to one part sour cream make a perfectly acceptable mock creme fraiche. I can't say if that is so. I enjoy her company so much that I don't pay much attention to food when we are together. There is just too much else to talk about and it seems we are forever playing catch-up when we do sit down to eat. I do know from bitter experience that shallots can be hard to come by in some parts of the country, so, if you have trouble finding them, use scallions, white part only, to replace them. This next bit will cost me merit badges, but I have occasionally, just occasionally mind you, used left over salmon as the base for the quiche. We had this for supper last evening. I served it with a clear celery soup and a salad so crisp you could hear it crunch. It was a perfect meal for a warm summer evening. I know that those of you who try this quiche will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Fresh Salmon Quiche...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Pastry for a 1 crust 9-inch pie
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons butter
12 ounces salmon filet, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups creme fraiche
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash of cayenne

Directions:
1) Fit pastry into 9-inch tart pan. Pierce bottom with tines of a fork. Place pan in freezer and chill for at least 20 minutes.
2) After chilling, partially bake crust for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least ten minutes before filling.
3) Reduce oven to 375 degrees F.
4) Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium sized skillet on low-medium heat. Add shallots and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently to avoid browning. Add salmon and heat just until salmon is cooked through. Remove from heat.
5) Spread filling in cooled crust. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese.
6) Whisk eggs, creme fraiche, salt, pepper, and cayenne together until combined. Pour over other ingredients and place in oven. Bake for about 40 minutes or until custard is set. Yield: 6 servings.

Crème Fraiche..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup full-fat sour cream or buttermilk
2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt containing acidophilus cultures

Directions:
1) Combine heavy cream, sour cream and yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until thickened, 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Allow it to sit for a longer period of time will produce a thicker cream.
2) Transfer thickened cream to refrigerator and store, covered, until ready to use.







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